


A Matter of Distance

by nfna118



Series: Filling the Gaps [7]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Homophobic Language, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Season/Series 01
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:15:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24041929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nfna118/pseuds/nfna118
Summary: Monday, December 27, 1982.The Party assembles their new walkie-talkies and tests out their range.
Relationships: Will Byers/Mike Wheeler
Series: Filling the Gaps [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1723810
Comments: 8
Kudos: 74





	A Matter of Distance

**Author's Note:**

> One-shot in a canon-compliant Byler universe. Updates to come approximately whenever I feel like it!

**Monday, December 27, 1982**

“Alright, boys, let’s get this party started!”

Will let out a small chuckle as Lucas rolled his eyes and Mike’s face tightened in mild annoyance. He found Dustin’s sincere enthusiasm for anything technical endearing. Dustin was the one who had explained in lengthy detail the medical particulars of cleidocranial dysplasia the first day they’d met. Dustin was the one who had read and memorized the entire Dungeons and Dragons manual before their first game. So of course now it was Dustin who took charge of their walkie-talkie set-up meeting.

“We know what to do –”

“It’s _easy_ , Dustin –”

Mike and Lucas tripped over each other’s words trying to regain control, but Dustin was having none of it.

“So I bought some RadioShack triple life nickel cadmium ENERCELL rechargeable batteries for all of us, so we can just charge the walkies instead of always bugging our moms for new batteries.” Dustin gestured for the others to take said batteries out of their goodie bags that Will assumed his mom had prepared. They had colored tissue paper and everything – not something Dustin would have spent time worrying about.

“Hey, why’s the package already open?” Lucas asked, furrowing his eyebrows suspiciously. “Where’d you get all these batteries anyways?”

“Yeah, what’s wrong with –”

“Guys, guys!” cut in Dustin, talking over Mike. “Guys. You’ve probably only used regular batteries before. Nickel cadmium batteries are different. Because of the way they generate –”

Lucas rolled his eyes. “Get to the point already, Dustin.”

Dustin huffed for a moment. “The _point_ is –” he said, glaring at Lucas, “That they need to charge for ten hours before you can use them, and I figured you’d want to try them out right away, _so_ I charged them all ahead of time. You’re welcome!” he finished, glaring around the room. Will held out his hands in silent acknowledgment, and Dustin’s eyes softened as they rested on him.

“So. You gotta turn the thumb screw – no, the other way, Mike, Jesus –” All four boys got busy opening up the walkie-talkies and inserting the batteries. Will, with his nimble fingers, actually finished first. While everyone else was fumbling around with batteries, Will popped the cover back on, rotated the volume knob to turn it on – the crackle of static drew everyone’s attention – and pressed the BATT TEST button. The little LED light lit up, and Will grinned as everyone’s voices jumbled together.

“Whoa!”

“Nice job!”

“Hey, how did you know how to –”

“I can read too, Dustin,” Will cut in, the corners of his mouth turning up. Sometimes, it _was_ nice to be the center of attention.

“Yeah, Dustin!” echoed Mike, socking Dustin in the shoulder. “That’s awesome, Will,” he said in a softer voice, ruffling his hair.

Will tried – and failed – to resist leaning into Mike’s hand, which was gone all too soon. His mom often swore he was half-cat. Mews did the same thing sometimes, and would turn around and glare at you if you stopped scritching her head. But Will wasn’t a cat, and it wasn’t exactly socially acceptable for them to be touching each other like that anymore.

“Oh, you like that, Will, do you?” Lucas’s voice was lightly mocking, one eyebrow quirked up and the ghost of a smirk gracing his lips. Will flushed bright red. He knew Lucas was teasing, that he didn’t _mean_ anything by it, but he couldn’t help hearing Dad and Troy and – everyone, really, calling him a faggot. He _had_ to deal with it, because it just seemed to follow him everywhere he went. People picked on Mike for other reasons, not because he was a homo, and Will didn’t want –

His train of thought cut off abruptly as he felt Mike’s hand in his hair again. The tension that had been building in his body suddenly eased and he let out an involuntary sigh, arching his back and leaning his head onto Mike’s shoulder. Mike looked down at him, a shit-eating grin plastered across his face, but his eyes a bit deeper, more earnest. _Well, if Mike_ wants _to do this, I certainly won’t be the one to stop him…_

Dustin broke the momentary silence when his own radio crackled to life. “Hurry up, slowpokes!” he chided, shining the red LED in their faces. “You can – pet Will later,” he added, waving his hands in confusion. Will flushed again as Mike’s hands went back to inserting batteries, but Mike didn’t complain when Will took a while to remove his head from his shoulder.

In short order, Lucas’s and Mike’s walkie-talkies began emitting squawks of their own. Everyone began fiddling with the various settings. After a minute or so – “Alright, gentlemen,” interrupted Dustin, “It’s time for the grand reveal!”

“Wait, wait –” Mike now. “This is a historic moment. We’re about to be freed from the tyranny of our sisters and moms hogging the phones all the time. What should we say first?”

“So I’ve been thinking about it –”

“Of course you have!”

“ – and I looked up the very first telephone call, and it was Alexander Graham Bell – who invented the telephone, by the way – to his assistant Thomas Watson, and he said, and I quote, ‘Mr. Watson – come here – I want to see you.’ So maybe like –” he started, imitating a stern Ms. Hoffman, their English teacher – “Mr. Wheeler – come here – I want to see you.”

Will giggled behind his hand as Mike howled in outrage.

“That’s so _dumb_ , Dustin,” complained Lucas.

“Oh, yeah? You got any better ideas?”

“Well, what about –” and Lucas started beatboxing, poorly. Will’s giggles redoubled as Mike started laughing and Dustin spluttered in indignation.

“Lucas! Please, have some respect! We’re trying to have a serious conversation here!”

“Oh, yeah, what else you got?”

“Well, Alexander Graham Bell –” cue eye rolls from Mike and Lucas – “Hey! Alexander Graham Bell wanted the standard telephone greeting to be ‘Ahoy!’ Maybe we could help that make a comeback!”

“But there’s a reason it never caught on in the first place, y’know?”

“Well, do you have any ideas, Mike? Because if not, maybe you should –”

Meanwhile, Will carefully glanced around the room, ascertaining that everyone’s walkie was on, and slowly picked his up. He pressed the talk button, and the burst of static shut everyone else up. “That’s one small click for Will,” he started, “and one giant leap for Partykind.”

A beat of silence, then a whoop from Mike and even a grudging nod of admiration from Dustin.

“Well, that’s settled,” observed Lucas. “Can we _please_ test the range now?”

“Yeah, let’s see how far these puppies can go,” agreed Dustin. “Mike, go up to your room!”

Mike uncurled himself and got up, only grumbling a little as he shuffled up the stairs. As soon as he was out of sight –

“Mike, can you hear me?”

“Yes, Lucas, I can hear your voice in person _and_ over the walkie.”

Dustin guffawed as Will rolled his eyes.

“Okay, call us when you get to your room,” Dustin shouted up the stairs.

“Roger that.”

A few seconds later, their radios crackled to life. “Hey, can you hear me?”

“Loud and clear,” said Dustin.

“A-yep,” said Lucas.

“We can hear you, Mike,” said Will.

Then – silence.

“Mike?” Dustin ventured after a bit.

“Yeah? And?”

“And what?”

“How’s the quality?”

“The quality’s fine, but you never asked that?”

“Yes, I did! You guys were just all talking over me!”

“Were not!” Lucas now.

“Lucas, shut it.” Dustin glared across the room. “So, Mike – and everyone – when you’re holding down the button to talk, you can’t hear anyone else. So you have to be clear when you’re done talking. Over.”

“Over? What the heck, Dustin?”

Down in the basement, Dustin raised his eyebrows, waiting.

“…Over.” Mike was clearly less than thrilled.

“Trust me, guys, this is gonna make it so much easier in the long run, okay? Over.”

“Ugh, fine. I’m coming back down. Over.”

“Roger that. Over.”

They all clearly heard Mike’s heavy footfalls as he made his way downstairs, but they stopped somewhere around the kitchen. They heard some raised voices, and then Mike stomping down the basement stairs, a scowl on his face. “Lucas,” he grunted, “Your mom’s at the door. Something about needing to watch Erica while she runs to the store.”

The other three boys all groaned.

“But, wait,” said Dustin, “This is an opportunity, guys. Lucas and I can go over to his house to test the range from there!”

“Works for me if it works for you,” shrugged Lucas. “Let’s go!” Everyone quickly gathered up their walkies. Dustin started to clean up the paper and plastic strewn everywhere, but –

“Don’t worry about it,” interrupted Mike. “Will and I can take care of that.”

“You sure?” asked Dustin at the same time Will asked, “I’m staying?”

“Yes, I’m sure,” said Mike, then pivoted to Will. “And yes, you’re staying. Unless you have somewhere better to be?”

Will gave Mike a sidelong glance. Mike's face showed he was obviously joking, but his eyes were more intense than usual. “I suppose I can cancel my afternoon plans,” sighed Will facetiously, smiling back at Mike.

“Good. I don’t wanna clean up all by myself.” Will rolled his eyes.

“Well, Lucas and I are out. See ya!” called Dustin as he headed up the stairs. “We’ll call once we get to his place!”

“Sounds good!” called Mike. “Bye, losers.”

Lucas turned around and flipped him off before he too disappeared from sight.

* * *

Once Dustin and Lucas had disappeared, Mike turned away from the stairs and started rummaging around in one of the cabinets.

“Mike, what are –”

“Shh, hang on, Will.” Mike didn’t sound impatient, though – rather, promising something. And, sure enough – “There they are! Ta-da,” he said, presenting his now-full hands to Will with pride on his face.

“Uh, Mike, what are those?”

Mike’s grin only increased. “They’re walkie-talkie crystals, Will!”

“Don’t we already have cr- …oh,” he said, his eyes widening with realization, “You mean like – another channel. But there are only enough for two of us?”

Will didn’t think it possible, but Mike’s grin only increased – he was positively beaming now. “Yep!” he said, clearly pleased with himself. “So like,” he continued, moving closer to Will, “Obviously we all want to be able to talk to each other – that’s why we pushed so hard for four walkies, y’know?” Will nodded in assent. “But I also want to be able to just call you sometimes, without Dustin and Lucas listening in. Unless that would make you feel weird, or –”

“No, no!” Will quickly reassured him, “I – I’d love that, Mike. Really.”

“Okay, cool. So –” Mike sat down on the couch, patting the cushion next to him for Will to join. Will plopped himself down unceremoniously, causing Mike to bounce a bit. “Hey, watch it. So anyways, they tell you how to install them right here,” he said, riffling through the manual, “page 11.”

Will leaned over his shoulder, pressing up against Mike’s back when the walkies suddenly crackled to life, causing him to jolt upright. “This is Dustin. Will and Mike, do you copy? Over.”

Mike’s walkie was nearer at hand. “We hear you loud and clear, Dustin. Can you hear me?”

Silence.

“Dustin! Can you hear me?”

Silence.

“Over,” added Will.

“A-yep, loud and clear!” Mike let out an annoyed huff. “Mrs. Sinclair’s gonna be out for like an hour, so we’ll try to call from my place around then. Over.”

“You’re a dick, Dustin. But sounds good. Try not to kill Erica. Over.”

“Roger that! Over and out.”

Mike rolled his eyes. “Dustin can be such a –”

“Hey, it’s okay, Mike,” Will interrupted before Mike could work himself up too much. He slung an arm around Mike’s shoulder. “So tell me more about illegally installing crystals?”

“Illegal –”

Will silently pointed.

“The following information is provided only for a technician holding a general class commercial radio telephone license,” Mike read aloud. “FCC prohibits others from replacing and/or installing crystals. That’s such BS!”

Will just shrugged.

“Look, it’s so easy – you take off the back cover, put the crystals in, then put the cover back on. We can totally do this ourselves.”

“Okay, okay, I trust you, Mike. So what channel did you get?”

“So Bob let me order whatever channel I wanted, so I got channel 5, because it’s far enough away from 14 that there’s no chance of interference, and because –”

“ – because we met when we were five,” finished Will, blushing a little. “I hope they weren’t too expensive? I can pay you back or –”

Mike frowned at him. “Nah, don’t even worry about it. They were like five bucks each. I just saved up my allowance for a few weeks. It’s my treat, Will. Seriously!” he added, when it looked like Will was about to protest. “I want this for us!”

The next little while was spent with screwdrivers and crystals and almost dropping crystals and losing them in the carpet, but about twenty minutes later, everything was re-assembled.

“So let’s test it out, then!”

“Hold up, Mike! Just one more screw.” Will rolled his eyes.

Mike jumped up and started pacing around the basement. “Dustin, Lucas, do you copy? Over.”

“This is Lucas, we copy.”

“Over,” chimed in Dustin, followed by a muffled, “Ow!” Will chuckled.

“How’s it going? Over.”

“Still ETA thirty, forty minutes until we get to Dustin’s house. Over.”

“Sounds good. Over and out.”

Then Mike flipped to Channel B and called out, “Dustin, Lucas, do you copy?”

Silence.

He grinned. “Come on, Will!” Will dutifully switched his walkie to Channel B as well. “William. Jacob. Byers. Do you copy? Over.” Mike said, making a stupid face.

Both boys clearly heard Mike’s voice through Will’s walkie, and Will gave him a double thumbs-up. Mike just stood there, pretending to wait for an answer.

Will sighed. “Yes, I copy, Michael _Joseph_ Wheeler.” Mike flinched. Will had an uncanny ability to sound like his mom. “Over… and out.” He shut his walkie off. “So what now?” he asked.

“Let’s play cards!” replied Mike, “or get a snack, or bother Nancy, or go outside, or…” Will let Mike ramble on. He’d figured out earlier this year that, although they were similar in many respects, this was one where they definitely differed. If Mike said he wanted to do something, it meant the idea happened to flit through his mind when his mouth was open. If Will said he wanted to do something, it meant he _really_ wanted to do it. It was a bit of a relief, honestly, when he’d realized he didn’t have to bend over backwards trying to get to everything on Mike’s (sometimes outrageous) lists. Fortunately, Mike also always seemed happy to do whatever Will wanted when it was just the two of them.

“Going outside sounds nice,” mumbled Will.

“Cool, let’s do that then!” He was halfway up the stairs before he suddenly skidded to a halt, nearly tumbling all the way back down. “Wait, we gotta wait to get the call from Dustin’s house! Let’s get a snack first, yeah? Maybe Mom or Nancy will make us some hot chocolate!”

Will smiled. “That sounds great, Mike,” he said softly.

* * *

One snack, one successful (albeit slightly crackly) radio call from the Henderson residence, and one romp in the snow later, Mike and Will found themselves dripping in the basement, kicking off their boots and jackets and snow pants. Will laughed as he saw the back of Mike’s shirt was still wet. “I got you good, Mike,” he taunted.

“Yeah, yeah,” replied Mike, “but are you prepared for –” and he launched himself without warning across the room at Will. Will, in the middle of removing a boot, lost his balance immediately and collapsed on the rug with a shriek. After six years, the two knew all of each other’s weak spots, and Mike began tickling Will’s sides with a vengeance. Will was trying to say something in between his uncontrolled giggles, but Mike wasn’t letting up. “What was that, Byers? Didn’t quite catch that!”

Eventually, Will ended up curled up in a ball on the floor, shouting, “Uncle! Uncle! Uncle!” Mike finally slowed down, both boys panting hard now.

“Shoot, you okay, Will?” Mike asked, leaning closer, a touch of concern creeping into his voice. Will just kept breathing. “Will?” he asked again, inching closer.

“I’m – I’m – okay. I’m – Surprise attack!” he yelled as soon as Mike got in range. What Will lacked in height, he more than made up for in ferocity, and once he started tickling Mike’s collarbone, it was game over.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Wheeler had opened the basement door and come halfway down the stairs. She shook her head. _Boys_. She never understood this rough-and-tumble nonsense herself, but Ted insisted it was a “boy thing”, that it would help let out their excess energy – and goodness knows, she’d try anything at this point to get Mike to calm down. She stood with her hand on her hip for a minute or so before Will noticed her and abruptly stopped, a blush rushing to his face. Mike began to shout in triumph, before he followed Will’s gaze.

“Boys,” she said sternly, “That was Will’s mother on the phone. She’ll be here in half an hour to pick Will up.”

Mike’s eyes widened. “But Moooomm, I was gonna ask if Will could sleep over tonight!” No one noticed, but Will’s ears got even a little pinker.

“The weather’s supposed to get really nasty tonight, Michael, I’m sorry. It’s just not a good night for it. You still have another half hour to do – whatever you were doing. Just make sure not to break anything.”

“Yes, Mom,” replied Mike sullenly, rolling his eyes at Will. As soon as the door clicked shut, Mike tackled Will again.

When Joyce arrived forty minutes later, of course Will was nowhere near ready to go. They spent another ten minutes gathering his belongings (and absolutely _none_ of that time was spent roughhousing, obviously), and another five saying goodbye. Mike threw his arms around Will dramatically, crying out, “I’ll miss you so much!” but then actually bundled Will into a tight embrace. “Call me tonight, huh, Byers?” he whispered into his hair.

“Of course,” Will smiled into his chest.

* * *

Half an hour after Will left, Mike tried calling him. “Will, this is Mike. Do you copy? Over.”

Silence.

That was fine. He was probably catching up with his family or having dinner or in the bathroom or something. Mike went about his day, reading comic books in his room until his mom made him tidy up the basement. But he kept his walkie close by, in case Will called, and tried calling himself every half hour on the dot. He was always met with silence.

He felt a little antsy when he called again after dinner and Will _still_ didn’t answer. By 8, he was getting bouncy. It was hard to sit still and focus on comics, and it was too dark to go back outside, which was how he found himself outside Nancy’s room with the door slammed shut in his face.

“Michael, quit bothering your sister,” drifted his dad’s voice up the stairs.

Mike decided to just pace around his room, hands shoved into his pockets. _Why would Will turn off his walkie? I thought he was just as excited as I was._

He was no more settled by the time his mom came to tuck him in, but he’d resigned himself to the fact that they’d have to sort it out tomorrow at this point. He left the walkie on his nightstand… just in case.

* * *

It was a quiet evening at the Byers household. It had already started snowing again by the time they departed from the Wheeler residence, and it hadn’t let up since. Fresh snow was one of Will’s favorite things. It made the world outside so pure and quiet, and when he was inside, snuggled in between Jonathan and his mom, how much more could he really ask for?

Around 8:30, he snuck away to his room. (Well, after yawning several times, Joyce had actually encouraged him to go to bed.) He saw the walkie he’d dumped on the bed when he arrived and he suddenly remembered – he hadn’t called Mike yet! Eagerly, he plopped down on his bed and hit the talk button. “Mike, this is Will. Do you copy? Over.”

Silence.

He frowned, checking that it was still set to Channel B. “Mike, this is Will. Do you copy? Over.”

Silence.

He flipped it back to Channel A. “Lucas, Dustin, do you copy? Over.”

Silence.

Well, maybe everyone was with their families or getting ready for bed. He flipped it back to Channel B. “Mike! This is Will. Do you copy? Over.”

Silence.

_This is okay. Everything’s okay. Mike’s not ignoring me. He must just be brushing his teeth or something._

He padded back into the hallway. His mom raised an eyebrow. “I need to call Mike real quick,” he explained.

“Sweetie, it’s almost 9 PM. Can it wait ‘till morning?”

“No,” he said, panic starting to rise in his chest, “it can’t. I need to call Mike now.”

Joyce sighed. “Just this once, okay?”

Will nodded, already dialing the Wheeler house by muscle memory – he’d known it since he was five years old.

Dial tone.

Had he missed a digit? He dialed again.

Dial tone.

“Mom, why isn’t the phone working?” Will’s breathing was a lot heavier now.

“Oh, honey,” said Joyce, gathering him in her arms, “The storm must have knocked the phone lines out. You know this happens sometimes.”

Will nodded, inhaled through his nose, let out a long sigh, and turned back to his room, ignoring his mother’s anxious calls. He deliberately shut the door and flopped face-down on his bed. He fumbled around behind him and, having grabbed the walkie, raised his head up. “Mike?” he asked, voice cracking, “Do you – do you copy? Over.”

Admittedly, they’d only had functional walkies for half a day, but Will had never hated the sound of static so much as he did right then. He slammed the walkie down on the bed.

_It’s okay. He’s not ignoring me. Everything was fine earlier today. He wanted me to sleep over. There’s no reason he would be ignoring me now. He doesn’t hate me. But I should have tried sooner, and then I could’ve tried the phone before it went out, and maybe he spent hours by his walkie waiting for me to call and now he’s mad and ignoring me and –_

For goodness’ sake, he was eleven now. Eleven year olds shouldn’t cry. And yet, Will felt his pillow getting damp beneath his face anyways.

A few minutes later, he forced himself up. He plugged in the charger and stuck the walkie in, so it definitely wouldn’t run out of power overnight. He thought about changing into his pajamas, but his shirt still smelled a little bit like Mike’s basement and he – he just really needed that right now.

“I’m ready for bed, Mom,” he called.

“Be there in a moment, sweetie!” she called back.

Will took the opportunity to dry off his cheeks before his mom came to tuck him in.

“I’m sorry you couldn’t call Mike tonight,” she said quietly. “Are you gonna be okay?”

“Yeah,” said Will, putting on a brave face, “It’s not a big deal.”

Joyce raised an eyebrow, but all she said was, “Okay, honey, I believe you. Have a good night; don’t let the bed-bugs bite!” and kissed him on the forehead.

Will wrinkled his nose. “Ew, Mom. I’m not five anymore!”

With a smile and a wave of her hand, Joyce shut off the lights and gently closed the door.

Will didn’t fall asleep until several hours later.

* * *

**Tuesday, December 28, 1982**

Will knew that he wasn’t allowed to call his friends before 9 AM, because it was rude and he might wake up their families. It was exactly 8:58 when he dialed the Wheeler residence. He held his breath, expecting a dial tone again – but the call connected. Hawkins Power and Light was on the ball for once.

“This is Karen Wheeler, may I ask who’s calling?”

“Oh, uh, hi, Mrs. Wheeler, is Mike there? This is Will – Will Byers.”

“Hmm, I haven’t seen him yet this morning. Let me go check if he’s awake, dear.”

While Will waited nervously, Mrs. Wheeler walked upstairs and rapped gently on Mike’s door. “Mike, honey, are you awake?”

A muffled grunt was her only reply.

“There’s a telephone call for you!”

“Whozit?”

She cracked open the door. “It’s Will. I can tell him to call back or –” but when she glanced back at Mike, his face transformed to a giant grin and he was already halfway across the room. He scooted past her and was downstairs much faster than safety would dictate. Her half-hearted call of “Michael!” went utterly unheeded.

“Will!” Mike shouted into he phone.

Will’s entire body relaxed. “Mike,” he breathed, “I tried calling last night, but –”

“I know, so did I, every half hour until 9 or so.”

“But I never –”

“Yeah, me neither. I promise I wasn’t ignoring you, you know that, right?”

“I – yeah. Of course. Thanks.” Mike could hear Will blushing through the phone. “Me neith-”

“So I guess –”

“Uh, you go.”

“No, you go.”

“I was just gonna say me neither. I wasn’t ignoring you, Mike.”

“Yeah, I guess your house just must be out of range. Man, that _sucks_.”

“Language,” murmured Ted from the breakfast table.

Will felt his heart sink again. “I – yeah. I was really looking forward to being able to talk to you whenever,” he murmured.

“Yeah, me too. But hey, we’ll find a way to make things work, okay? I promise I won’t leave you out of anything just because you live further away.”

“I – thanks, Mike. I’m – sorry for freaking out.”

“Nah, you’re fine. Don’t even worry about it. Anyways, wanna come over today?”

“Mom says the roads won’t be cleared in time. Maybe we could go sledding tomorrow?”

“Yeah, that’s a great idea, Will!” Will smiled. He knew just how much Mike loved sledding. “Yeah, yeah, I’m coming, Mom. – Hey, I gotta go. But I’ll see you tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah, for sure.”

A beat of silence, then, “Bye, Will.”

“Bye, Mike.”

Will counted eight breaths before Mike hung up the phone.


End file.
